Digital Footprints

What are digital footprints?

Well, you may not realise it BUT every time you go online you leave a trail!! Have a look in the history section of your website browser and you can see the websites you have visited in the past.

In this part of this website find out how to have a SMART attitude to your digital footprints.

Top Tips

  • Treat your password like your toothbrush don�t share it with anyone and change it often.
  • Always remember to logoff when you have finished with an online service.
  • Use our great sites section to find the best areas of the net.
  • Use your own digital footprints to remember your favourite websites like the history button and your bookmarks.
  • Remember that most of the websites you visit will make a note of your visit and may also track the websites you visit before and after their website!
  • Let an adult know if anything you read or see makes you feel worried or upset.
  • Look at our film that tells you how to save a conversation on MSN.
Print Top Tips HERE »

Logon, LOGOFF

If you are always logged onto your accounts, people could use your details without your permission! Make sure you always LOG OFF and keep your passwords to yourself.

It�s important to protect your identity and your own digital footprint.

Hair from Australia:

"The internet rocks but you must use it wisely!"

HOW SMART ARE YOU?

 

Create your own footprints

When you first start using the internet it�s likely that an adult will be helping and keeping an eye on you. It�s a good idea to use your history button and your favourites folders to access the best areas on the net.

If you use Instant Messenger think about saving your conversations. This means that if somebody upsets you when you are on Instant Messenger you have something to show an adult.

You can learn how to save online conversations from the film on this page.

IP addresses …

are like telephone numbers for computers

Whenever you go online your computer is given a special number to identify it. This number is called an Internet Protocol address (IP address). Without this special number the computer can not receive any information from websites or other computers.

Sometimes when people behave badly online a website and/or the police may use and IP address to identify the computer that has sent the information.

 

Who�s watching you?

These days we are encouraged to add lots of information about ourselves onto the internet...

Photos, art, poetry, videos, blogs, personal profiles … there are lots of opportunities to be creative and develop good skills. Aside from the fun stuff, always remember that the internet is an open environment. Personal information is routinely collected and kept for years and years by companies wanting to sell you stuff and viewed by individuals looking for information about you.

Apparently lots of universities and employers now use the internet to check up on you!

So, keep safe and don�t put too much information about yourself online and focus on doing positive things. It would be rubbish if you missed out on something because of bad content you posted online.

 

FIND OUT MORE …